Nobody is out to sell you a bad cam, but if you don't follow the manufacturers advise given, thats just what you get. Its not made up stories or tails, its not instillation problems or break-in problems, is a oil lubrication problem. If some wish not to believe it, fine don't bother with it and save you money.
Its been said many times, not all engines require the same protection and most older ones do not. Hydraulic cams are not as susceptible as solid flat tappet cams, roller cams need nothing but good clean oil. The older stock flat tappet cams are so mild compared to whats out there now, they only require minimal zinc due to the lift and spring rates. Reground cams are considered as new and should be treated as such with maximum protection.
Any engine all ready running before 2000 should be just fine, they are all ready broke in. It does matter if it hasn't run for 20 years, if it has been broke in and run before the zinc removal in 2000 it will be fine as long as its a stock engine, optional factory high performance type engines don't apply here.
Any rebuild engine with mild to stock valve springs and stock cam should be fine with a name brand oil and a little protection, weather that be a little GM EOS, diesel oil, or a little zinc break in oil. Its the high lift cams and heavy valve springs that load the camshaft/lifter contact area, if yours doesn't have either of those, it will be fine.
Any high output engine with race ready cam, Voodoo cam, Extreme Energy, or other name brands with a quick ram design and long duration and require heavy valve spring, better have maximum protection meaning Joe Gibbs oil, Brad Penn Oil, Comp Cams race oil, or any number of off road race type oils. I won't say it won't work with standard oil, but I can guarantee it will last a lot longer with high zinc oil.
Joe
